Florida residents were preparing for the peak as COVID-19 case numbers continued to rise the week ending April 12.
The state reported 19,895 positive cases as of April 12, out of 185,520 people tested.
The Florida Department of Health reported 236 positive cases in Manatee County as of April 12, out of 1,553 people tested, totaling 15%.
In the county, 13 people died due to the virus — 5.5% of those who tested positive.
The first known person to test positive on Anna Maria Island was a Holmes Beach resident who was reported April 1 by the health department.
Also, one man, identified by press and a family member as living in Bradenton Beach, was hospitalized in Sarasota with COVID-19 and died after being infected on a cruise ship.
By April 12, 2 people tested positive on the island: 1 in Holmes Beach and 1 in Bradenton Beach.
The state peak in positive cases was projected for April 21, according to the Institute of Health Metrics Evaluation.
Previous projections indicted May 1 for the state surge in fatalities and hospital resources.
Jacob Saur, the county’s public safety director, told the county board during a teleconferenced county meeting April 10 on COVID-19 planning, there was an 83% rise in county cases since April 3, compared with 70% statewide, as well as 14.7% positive test results, compared with 10% statewide.
“We have begun to move forward with preparing for the medical surge on the horizon, as alternate health care sites are being evaluated,” Saur said. “Locally, our first responders and health care workers are already feeling the effects of COVID-19.”
As of April 10, no officers with the Holmes Beach or Bradenton Beach police departments tested positive for the virus.
“We go to every call as if there’s a chance for exposure,” Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale said, adding that officers were practicing social distancing and disinfecting the police vehicles.
If attending a medical call, Speciale said officers were treated with disinfectant upon return to the station. He also said officers were wearing masks and gloves for respiratory calls or if an officer dealt with a person exhibiting symptoms while on shift.
Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said April 8 that callers were screened by phone before an officer was dispatched to a location.
“If we have the information or not, though, we still take the proper precautions,” he said. “If you are listening to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, you should take precautions as if anyone you interact with is a possible carrier.”
Rodney Kwiatkowski, West Manatee Fire Rescue District’s fire marshal, said April 9 that no WMFR first responders had tested positive or were in isolation.
Preparing for the peak
Kwiatkowski said WMFR created a new squad to deal with possible coronavirus cases.
A firefighter-paramedic and firefighter-EMT comprise Squad 118, which runs out of Station 1, 407 67th St. W., Bradenton. The squad is the first in for all medical calls in the district that are not on the island.
Squad 138, which has been running for several months, follows the same model from Station 3, 6001 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, for medical calls on the island.
Kwiatkowski said the fire district and county officials have been having virtual meetings to develop the plan going forward.
“Everything we’ve been doing up to this point has been in preparation of what’s to come,” Kwiatkowski said April 9. “We know it will get worse before it gets better and some minor shifts appear to be working.”
Manatee County COVID-19 cases by city, ZIP code
According to the Florida Department of Health website by Florida Division of Emergency Management April 12, positive cases of COVID-19 in Manatee County were reported by city as:
- 169 Bradenton;
- 26 Palmetto;
- 7 Parrish;
- 6 Lakewood Ranch;
- 6 Longboat Key;
- 6 Ellenton;
- 5 Sarasota/Manatee;
- 5 missing data;
- 2 Myakka City;
- 1 Holmes Beach;
- 1 Palma Sola;
- 1 Tallevast.
Cases by ZIP code were reported as:
- 34201: 0;
- 34202: 25;
- 34203: 31;
- 34205: 15;
- 34207: 22;
- 34208: 46;
- 34209: 12;
- 34210: 5-9;
- 34211: 5-9;
- 34212: 15;
- 34215: 0;
- 34216: 0;
- 34217: 5 or less;
- 34219: 5-9;
- 34221: 26;
- 34222: 5-9;
- 34228: 5-9;
- 34243: 0;
- 34250: 0;
- 34251: 5 or less.